Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 3, 1995 TAG: 9502030084
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
A different team may be on top in the Salem-Northside boys' basketball rivalry, but the plot hasn't changed much.
For the second time this season, Northside topped Salem. This time, the Vikings went to overtime before subduing the Spartans 70-69 to take a two-game lead over Salem and William Byrd in the Blue Ridge District race.
As it was last season, when the Spartans beat Northside six times, this was a grueling duel. The lead change hands 19 times before Maurice Garrison hit two free throws with 9.5 seconds left to give Northside a 70-67 lead.
The Spartans, out of timeouts, worked to Ryan Reeves underneath. He couldn't find an open man for the 3-point shot, so Reeves settled for a layup with two seconds left. The Vikings didn't even have to pick up the ball to claim the victory as time expired.
``Both teams would get a little bit of a run,'' said Billy Pope, Northside's coach. ``I think everyone who came here tonight and saw high school basketball was very fortunate to see how well it is played here.
``Salem kept nailing 3 after 3. I can see why their guys never, never quit. In overtime, our guys stepped up big.''
Ben Peete had nine of Northside's 13 overtime points, and Garrison had the other four. Peete helped the Vikings spring to a 67-61 lead with 55.5 seconds left, and it appeared Northside (13-4 overall, 6-0 Blue Ridge) was going to win easily.
It didn't work out that way as Bryan Monroe nailed a 3-point shot for Salem (8-7, 4-2) after the Vikings' Justin Porterfield missed the front end of a one-and-one for Northside. Then, Peete hit one free throw to make it 68-64.
Salem's Kevin Garst missed a jumper, but Dana Gibson failed to convert a one-and-one for Northside, which missed 10 of 20 free throws. The Spartans' freshman sensation, Herschel Thomas, then nailed a 3-point shot, making it a one-point game.
That led to Garrison's free throws and Reeves' miss.
``I just take my time and relax,'' Garrison said, explaining how he hit his free throws when his teammates were struggling. ``I really don't think what others have done.''
Peete, who led both teams with 19 points and went 6-of-10 from the field as the Vikings hit 28 of 46 as a team, was dominant in overtime.
``I had a lot of confidence. Monroe and Thomas were playing off and I had an open lane to drive,'' said Peete, who started the extra period with a couple of layups.
Salem, connecting on only 22 of 55 shots, might have tied the score, but the Spartans were out of timeouts.
``I think there were still four seconds left when I got the ball,'' said Reeves, whose play off the bench has been a factor in Salem's improvement. ``Rather than taking the layup, I could have held it and looked for someone or dribbled it out and shot.''
``I was covered up,'' said Garst, who hit three of the Spartans' 11 3-pointers. So he fed Reeves. ``The thing is all they had to do was guard against the 3. They didn't have to guard against the 2 at all.''
``There was a lack of communication and we took a timeout right before Peete's free throw,'' said Charlie Morgan, Salem's coach. ``I'd like for Reeves to have dribbled back of the 3-point line, but Northside was guarding the perimeter and that really wasn't an option. He did the best thing taking the 2.''
Northside might not have made it to overtime if not for Gibson and Porterfield. Gibson dominated inside, making seven of 10 shots and snaring nine rebounds. Porterfield had eight assists, including five in a tense fourth quarter.
by CNB